Dealing With Anxious Thinking...

There are times when a little fear is good... like when walking across a swinging bridge that has no guardrails and the drop down is about 100 feet or so to cold rushing water. Did that one time and my heart still pounds at the thought of it.

Those times don't come around very often. God says we are not to worry. Jesus said, "Do not worry." Angels have told men, "Do not fear." I don't know how many times this is said in the Bible and we all do it. I do it.

Worry is a sin.

So how do we deal with worry? I love what Dale Carnegie said, "Figure out what's the worst thing that could happen, then make a plan if that thing happens and set the whole thing aside." We worry about things that 90% of the time do not happen. Why is that?

When we are anxious, it affects our thinking. It clouds our thought process and we are consumed about what might happen... then it never does, or rarely does.

Unfortunately, anxious thinking or negative thinking can become a habit and we never realize what we are doing to ourselves. When walking into a room, have you ever thought, "Gee, everyone is staring at me, I must look awlful." Or "No one will like me here, they all think I'm stupid."

Seriously... think about that. Maybe one person... maybe two, might think that but, trust me on this, a room full of people have a room full of thoughts and they are not all centered on you! Well, perhaps if you are the Governor or the President, they might. Get a grip on those negative thoughts! (I'm talking to myself, here.)

What are some other ones?

"If I don't do this with no mistakes, I've failed."
"This is a total disaster. I made an absolute mess."
"Everybody hates me, I'm going to go eat worms."

That is stinkin' thinkin'. Face the fact the world does not revolve around you. We do not live in a world of black and white... but in a myriad of colors and shades. The likelyhood of any event striking instant dislike for you in the breasts of a roomful of people is nil and none. You do not have to do a poll on that to find out.

The bald fact is, our thoughts should not revolve around our own selves, but we should consistently and constantly keep our eyes on Jesus. If Peter had never taken his eyes off Jesus, then he would never have sunk in the waves... or denied him three times.

Jer 17:5 So says Jehovah, Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and who makes flesh his arm, and who turns aside his heart from Jehovah. 6 For he shall be like a juniper in the desert, and shall not see when good comes. But he shall live in parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land that is not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, and Jehovah is his refuge. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters. It sends out its roots by the stream, and it will not fear when the heat comes; but its foliage will be green; and it is not anxious in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit.